Fluid-removing device



Dec. 18,1923. 11,477,733}

F. VAN INWAGEN FLUID REMOVING DEVICE Filed April 18. 1921 W0fe 3 Wank lan Mwagen.

Patented Dec. 118, 19923.

STATES ()FFHCE.

FRANK VAN INWAGEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TI .EE-FOURTHS TOGORDON L. HARRIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUID-REMOVING DEVICE.

Application filed April 18, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK VAN INWAGEN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-RemovingDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fluid scavenging devices andrefers more particularly to devices, designed to assist in the removalof 'fluids, both liquids and gases from heating systems, dryers,evaporators, or other steam or liquid circulatory heating, drying'orevaporating systems and is applicable to so-called vacuum heatingsystems.

The salient object of the invention is to provide a device which willeconomica'ly withdraw from such a system the condensa tion liquid andsuch air or fluid as may be contained therein and to deliver suchcondensate separately to a boiler or other reservoir and also toseparately deliver any entrained air or light non-liquid gases or vaporsthrough a separate system of piping to the atmosphere or other containeras desired.

The single figure of the drawing is an elevational view of the apparatuswith parts broken away.

Considerable difficulty has been encountered by devices beingmanufactured to accomplish the removal of the gases and liquid fromsystems of the type described but not an economical device hasbeenproduced as yet which will properly eliminate such fluids. I havecombined into one unit certain well known devices which have the abilityto do one or more of the aforementioned processes and assembled .into asingle packlng machine, the necessary apparatus to eflect all of theseoperations with the minimum expenditure of power. In the past it hasbeen diflicult to arrange for the removal of the liquid separately fromthe lighter vaporous fluids when there is a Serial No. 462,469.

may be more easily drawn oil to a liquid handling pump. In general, Ihave designed an improved, compact, easily operated and semi-automaticdevice.

Referring in particular to the drawings, the general arrangement of themechanism as shown in the drawing is connected to the drain line fromthe heating system, condensers, evaporator-s or other device. Thereturns from these systems enter through the line 1 and pass through thecheck valve 2 into receiver 3. This receiver is of a size sufficient topermit the separation by gravity of the gaseous fluid which mingles withthe vapor and fills the upper part of the receiver. The lower part ofthe receiver holds the heavier liquid which has a tendency to drain offthrough the pipe 4c into the suction side 5 of the pump 6. This pump asshown is of the centrifugal type being driven through the horizontalshaft 6 by motor 6". This motor operating the cen- -trifugal pump forcesthe liquid through the delivery line 7 to the line 8 in which isinterposed a check valve 9. The liquid from the line 8 is directed toany convenient receptacle for such water or liquid, whether it be aboiler, receiver, tank or to the sewer as desired. The check valve isinterposed to prevent any back flow to the pump when it is shutdown orwhen there exists less pressure within the pump than exists in theboiler, receiver, or other collecting reservoir. By means of thisapparatus, water or other liquids may be rapidly removed from thereceiver-but as centrifugal pumps are notoriously inefficient incirculating liquids or fluids which possess a low specific gravity, theair, vapor or lighter fluids must be withdrawn from the receiver 3through a separate device which shall have the quality of being apositive vacuum producing mecha nism.

The lighter or aseous fluids are removed from the top of t e receiverthrough a line 10, connecting leads 11, which convey the lighter fluidsto the suction connection of a positive type of vacuum producingmechanism designated as 12. This mechanism is preferably of rotary t peso that it may be directly connected to t e shaft 6 which operates thecentrifugal pump 6. When the mechanism is in operation it will be seenthat a positive displacement of the lighter fluids and air in the upperpart of the receiver 3 will be accomplished and these lighter fluidswill be removed. These lighter fluids discharged from the vacuum pump 12are discharged through the pipe 13, in which is interposed a check valve14, either to the atmosphere or to suitable collecting receptacle.

Experience has proven, however, that this operation of a positive fluidhandling device such as a pump 12 will cause a relatively high vacuum toexist on the receiver 3, thus seriously interfering with the easydrainage of the heavier liquids contained in the receiver and checking,to a certain extent, the amount of liquid which will drain through thepipe 1 and be handled through the centrifugal pump 6. This high vacuumtends to maintain a liquid level in the tank 3 and to take advantage ofthis level to cause a more desirable operation, I have designed aninterrupting device, consisting principally of a float mechanism pivotedwithin the tank and indicated at 14. To the arm of this float isattached a valve 15 which seats in the opening in the top of thereceiver which leads to the line 10. The float arm is pivoted at 16 on abracket 17 within the receiver and as the float arm rises with theliquid level of the receiver, the outlet line will be closed by means ofthe valve 15. The closing of this Valve throttles the vacuum imposedupon the liquid in the tank, obviating its effect and permitting-theliquid to drain freely through the line 4 to the centrifugal pump 6. Asthe liquid level lowers with the draining of the receiver, the valve 15will again open and the lighter fluids again pass off through the outletline 10 to the vacuumpump 12 as explained. This action will prove moreor less intermittent but will overcome difficulties heretoforeexperienced in handling properly the returns from systems of the typementioned.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a fluid removing device for the removal of fluids from systems,the combination with a collecting means connected with the systemoutflow line, of liquid and gas drawofl's connected thereto, meansautomatically controlled by the liquid level in.the collecting means forcontrolling the withdrawal of the gas and liquids removed from thesystem.

2. In a fluid removing device for the removal of fluids from systems,the combination with collecting means connected with the system, ofliquid and gas drawofl' lines connected thereto, separate means forremoving the gas and liquid from the collecting means, and automaticmeans operable to control the vacuum imposed upon the collecting meansand the withdrawal of liquid and gaseous fluids from the system.

3. In a fluid removing device for the removal of fluids from systems,the combination with a means connected to an outlet of the system forcollecting the fluids drained therefrom, of liquid and gaseous fluiddrawofl' lines connected thereto, a float and valve for the gas outletactuated by the liquid level to vary the vacuum imposed upon the systemand to re late the relative flows of gas and liquid from the collectingmeans.

4. In a fluid removing device for the removal of fluids from systems,the combination with a collecting means connected with the systemoutflow line, of liquid and gas drawofl's connected thereto, andautomatic means for varying the vacuum imposed upon the collecting meansand for controlling the relative gaseous and liuid drains.

FRANK VAN IN AGEN.

